The anticni 

 N.imcoJ this 



Arrival. 



V-o AMERICA. Chap. XIII. 



of the Canary Iflands, was by the ancient Inhabitants of the Place had in great vene. 

 .uon, infomuch that many leap'd down from the fame, being perfwaded by the 

 Priefts, That the Souls of thole which threw themfelves ofFthis facrcd Break»neck 

 fliould immediately be tranflated into a place of everlafting happinefs. 



This Ifland was, as we faid before, firft call'd Hatty, which fignifies Wild, be- 

 caufe in many places it fwells with wondrous high Mountains, and in other places 

 isovcr.grown with great Woods : it was afterwards by the antient Inhabitants 

 nam'd Xvjaueia, that is, Unmeajurably great, becaufe they fuppos'd it to be the 

 whole World, and that the Sun (hin'd in no other place. 

 S^wT 8 ' TJie Nati ves °f tnis Ifland, though wholly rude of acquir'd Knowledge or Lite- 

 oiidjrvtps. jature, likethe generality of the Americans, yet they took care to inftrucl: their Chil- 

 dren in the Original and Antiquities of their Countrey, and the Wars and Exploits 

 of their Predeceflbrs, both which they contain'd in Songs call'd Areitos, which they 

 us'd to Sing to the found of Drums and Trumpets . but efpecially their Perfons of 

 chiefeft Quality ftudy'd moft thefe Areitos, and exercis'd themfelves in Dancing. 

 S C of P th' e The moft remarkable of thele antient Areltos, were fuch as pretended to pro. 

 phefie of things to ;cpme, which if of fad confequence, were Sung very mournfully 

 and with many Sighs . nor were they always, however infpir'd, without cfFecl:, as 

 appear'd at laft by woful event : for long before the Spaniards Landed on Hifpani- 

 vla, it was foretold by one of them, that Maguacochios , fignifying Clothed People, fliould 

 Land on H'tfpaniola, who with fliarp Weapons fliould cut off Heads and Arms, and 

 under whofe infupportable Yoke their SuccciTors muft ipend their days without 

 hope of ever being releas'd. 



It might be difputed whether thefe Prediftions were dictated by good or evil 



Spirits- but it is generally believ'd, that all their Oracles, whether hapning true or 



.falfe, were fuggefted by diabolical Spirits to the Priefts, who commonly convers'd 



with them 5 and that thefe Spirits knew the Defign of feveral People to difcover 



new Countreys. 



Their Images Zemes, ftuffd full of Cotton, were fafhion'd into very frightful 

 Shapes, and might pafs for thofe things which we call Terrkula, or Bugbears i of 

 wljich fome were made very fmall, and thofe they ty'd on their Foreheads when 

 they wcnUo the Wars. Every Governor had a peculiar Zemes, to whom he flie w r d 

 Reverence, in return whereof he cxpedted Rain, fair Weather, and to conquer his 

 Enemies, fuppofinghim to be a MeiTenger of a perpetual and endlefs Being, by 

 them cM'dJocauna Guamdonocon - y whom ncverthclefs they fuppos'd to have a Mo- 

 ther, to whom they gave five Names, *i^. Atibeir, Mamona, Guacarapita, Liclla, and 

 Guima^pa. 

 o^SSTrf* Their opinion of Mans Creation was thus ; They fay, that out from a Moun- 

 thc Creation ' tain in the Province Cuanana, out of certain fmall and great Caverns therein, came 

 little and great People : The biggefl: Hole, call'd Ca^ibaragua, and the little one, 

 nam'd Amaiauna, were faid to be lock'd up every Night, that none might pafs the 

 Sentinel Mackbael, who out of curiofity leaving the Mountain Cuata, and going up 

 into the Countrey, was difcover'd by the Sun, whofe Beams he not being able to 

 endure, was turnd into a Rock. The like Mifchance hapned to many others, who 

 in the dark Night going to Fifti, in the Morning at their Return were chan^'d in- 

 to Oaken Trees, onely one of the Fifliermen was fent away by the chief Comman- 

 der Vaguoniana, who moved at the Complaint of a Nightingale's Singing, fuffer'dall 

 the Men to go into the Hole, and the Women and Children he Tranfported to 

 Matinino. But to make fliort of thefe non-fenfical Stories, in conclufion, the Men 

 being let out of their Caves, faw many ftrange Beads i:mongft thc Woods, which 



being 



The Image* 

 oi their 



